Bulgarian president appoints caretaker government

SOFIA, Bulgaria 
Bulgaria's president has appointed diplomat Marin Raikov as interim prime minister to organize early elections after the Balkan country's center-right government quit in the wake of nationwide protests.

Rosen Plevneliev announced on Tuesday a caretaker government of experts whose main task will be to guarantee stability in a country shaken by weeklong protests against poverty and corruption.

The president says he will dissolve the current legislature on Friday, and set the election for May 12.